Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Small Measure Can-Do Contest, Round 3

Woo-hoo! It's time again for another Small Measure Giveaway! For those of you new to the contest, or to this blog, I'm staging a giveaway each month from now until the release of my book, Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English. Each month one lucky person will win an artfully crafted canned item featured in the book and made by yours truly.

From my pantry to yours, this month I'll be giving away a jar of Fig & Thyme Jam. During the photo shoot for this recipe, there was some anxious foot-tapping and serious stomach growling in anticipation of finishing the shoot and devouring the jam. We'd slathered it on top of wheel of brie, wrapped the brie in phyllo pastry, and then baked the whole concoction until golden, oozy, and delicious. The kitchen smelled INCREDIBLE! You could also add it to a turkey sandwich, smear it on hot buttered toast, or serve it alongside mascarpone cheese and biscotti. Any way you serve them, with figs, you really can't go wrong.

To enter: Simply leave a comment to THIS specific post by telling me your favorite way of cooking, serving, or simply eating figs. Your comment MUST link to your particular blog or web site (and therefore to your contact information) or include your e-mail address. Otherwise, I won't be able to get in touch with you if you win. Any entries that do not include some way of getting in touch will be disqualified.

Deadline: Comments must be received by midnight EST September 22nd, 2009. Odds of winning will depend upon the number of eligible entries received.

Other rules:

1. You must have a mailing address in the United States of America. (Sorry, international folks!)

2. Only one entry comment per person.

How it works: Each comment will be assigned a sequential number. The winning number will be selected from a random number generator, so there'll be no favorites, simply a game of chance.

Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat as Chris, I haven't had a fig in my entire life! It's a sad state of being, I realize, but I'm slowly filling in the gaps of my culinary experiences after a past very bare of extensive variety and a heavy reliance on local-only foods (which isn't bad, it just means that there are whole cultures of food that have never appeared on my plate). Your fig and thyme preserves sound delightful, though, and I think that figs will be one of the next up on my list of things to taste.

I have a fig tree in my basement. I have it by my sliding glass door. My favorite way of eating figs is just going by the tree and checking if one is ripe, then eating it right off the tree. My husband does not like to put the tree outside because it drops its leaves and by the time the figs are ripe, the weather is too cold for the tree. My in-laws built a greenhouse type structure around their tree and keep it outside year round. They are going away for 2 weeks on a cruise, so I will have to look after the tree. Oh well, more great figs for me!

Ohhh, Figs sliced in half with goat cheese and honey dribbled on top, then cooked until warm and gooey!!! Yum!!! I have two little fig trees in my yard that I planted last fall. One has about 8 figs on it and I'm so excited to taste them!!

My favorite way to eat figs is to grill them on the BBQ. You don't have to halve them, marinate them or coax them. The flavor intensifies just like a roasted tomato and damn, is it good! You could go further and pair them with goat cheese, but plain and hot off the grill are amazing.

I am dying to try them another way, but, for now, my favorite way to eat figs is to stuff them with local goat cheese. I just got a canner and I am so excited for your book to come out!stephanieschilling@gmail.com

I've only had a fig once in my whole life. We were somewhere in New Mexico that grew figs, and allowed you to pick them fresh for your enjoyment. I remember my grandfather selecting one and sharing it with me... SO delicious!

My favorite way to eat figs is to pluck them from the tree away from the hungry birds. Wash. Devour. I especially love slicing them and putting them on freshly picked greens from the garden. But that may all change if I am lucky enough to taste the fig and thyme preserves.

I bought a jar of fig jam last year at the market from our local jam lady, it lasted about 2 weeks if that because i either had it on toast every morning with a cup of hot tea or on crackers with goat cheese.

I also like chocolate dipped or ganache filled figs...i find it amazing how you can stuff a fig and it just...makes room.

I'm saddened by those who have never eaten a fig before...go buy a basket at the market quick!

I love to eat them fresh, or as a jam with cheese, but one of my favorite preparations is sliced and laid out in a partially cooked pastry shell, sprinkled with golden sugar and baked. Serve with a little creme-fraiche; it's divine.

well, my grandmother had a fig tree in her back yard when i was growing up. i learned to like them right off the tree! my kids and i love to devour the dried figs from the bulk section at earth fare. i do love them in all sorts of delicious recipes, too! :)

I like roasting them with pork tenderloin, or stuffing them with gorgonzola and wrapping them with prosciutto. I buy cartons of figs and can barely get them home from the market before I've devoured them all. It's wonderful to split them open to reveal their beautiful, luscious interiors.

figs and cheese and honey are always super delightful. but i like the idea of putting the jam on a turkey or ham sammy as well. and to be honest, my fig experiences are few and far between, but thanks to your inspiring blog, I will start canning them as soon as possible, making those experiences much more frequent!

BESIDES Fig JAM I love figs on homemade pizza AND decadent Figs with bacon and Goat cheese! They are super simple and quick. I found the recipe on epicurious. Here is is! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fresh-Figs-with-Bacon-and-Goat-Cheese-351591

Such a lovely blog you have here :-)And homemade stuff made with love--delicious and inspiring. Thanks for sharing.Figs - The fresh ones are yummy just as they are, and ever so decorative sliced super-thinly (the middle part of the fig, where you get both a bit of stem and bottom makes the prettiest slices)placed on top of - and baked with - an oatmeal cookie.:-)

Other than just downing them one by one, my favorite is wrapped in prosciutto, lightly sauteed and put in a blue cheese & cream sauce. It's a recipe we found quite while back in the LA Times I think. And the night we left the extra blue cheese & cream in the bowl out and the cat ate it was truly the funniest!

Though I made a lovely strawberry-fig jam this summer, I have to say my favorite way of eating figs is to pick it from the tree, rinse it in the sink and eat it over the sink. They usually don't make it much further than that.

eeekkk... did my last comment go thru?? not only do I not know a fig about figs.... but Computers are even worse....fab site...just found you...cannot wait til my baby fig trees start bearing enough to process!!

My favorite way(s) to eat figs- straight off the tree or with goat cheese and honey and I love my Aunt Madges' fig preserved on homemade biscuits with ham. I hope one day to make fig preserves as good as hers! YUM!Can't wait for your book!betsymarsh@yahoo.com

Oh how I miss figs! Moving to Montana from California has left some significant holes in my diet. My neighbor in Cali had a fig tree and she would let me raid her garden for as many as I could consume. My favorite way to eat them is fresh from the tree standing in the California sunshine!Thanks!

About Me

Making an attempt to craft a good life with my husband and young son in a small mountain community. I find pleasure in the light at dusk, atlases, hard cider, cat antics, dog breath, baby giggles, homemade ice cream and snorty laughter.
Author of the "Homemade Living" book series (Lark Books) which showcases topics related to small-scale homesteading and some of the diverse ways people are reconnecting with their food and food communities and taking up sustainable food practices.
I also host a bi-monthly column every Friday on Design*Sponge:http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/small-measures.
E-mail me directly at: ashleyadamsenglish(at)gmail.com.

The Best LIttle Chicken Coop in Candler

"The Big Problem is nothing more or less than the sum total of countless little everyday choices, most of them made by us and most of the rest of them made in the name of our needs and desires and preferences."-Michael Pollan